Sweet pepper plants of the species Capsicum annuum belong to the Nightshade family, also known as Solanaceae. It is an annual herbaceous flowering plant species native to South America.
Pepper plants are being cultivated worldwide for their highly nutritious fruits. In 2007 the acreage for sweet peppers in the United States was approximately 54.3 million, with a production of about 700,000 tons (source USDA). The pepper fruits have a high vitamin A and C content, as well as a high content in dietary fiber. They are also an excellent source of Calcium. Bell peppers are eaten raw, cooked, immature and mature and may be processed into powders, sauces, and salsas. The fruits in the unripe stage are usually green, but during ripening they usually become red, although other colors are known also such as: yellow, orange, purple, white, and brown.
There are various ways of cultivating peppers, the most common are: open field, greenhouse and shade house production. Although the species can be grown under a wide range of climatic conditions, it performs most successfully under dry and warm conditions.
Powdery mildew infections in pepper caused by Leveillula taurica are becoming an increasing problem in pepper production areas. Leveillula taurica is a powdery mildew fungus capable of infecting a wide range of plant species including plants of the genus Capsicum. Symptoms of a Leveillula infection are yellow necrotic spots developing on the oldest leaves and later also on younger leaves. On the lower surface of the infected leaves white sporulating areas with abundant conidia are visible. The fungus also disrupts the hormone balance within the plant leading to abscission of also healthy leaves. The disease eventually leads to defoliation. Since managing powdery mildew epidemics with chemicals is difficult, genetically based resistances are desired.
The genus of Tobamoviruses is a group of rod shaped viruses capable of infecting a wide array of species, including Capsicum species. Pepper infecting strains of Tobamovirus are subgrouped into ‘pathotypes’, according to their reactions on a set of differential Capsicum sp. hosts. Pathotype P0 corresponds to Tobacco Mosaic virus (TMV) and/or Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV), Pathotype, and pathotype P1 corresponds to ToMV as well. Pathotypes P1-2 and P1-2-3 belong to isolates of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV). Symptoms on susceptible plants can vary considerably depending on the strain of virus, time of infection, and growing conditions. Foliar symptoms include mosaic, mottling, leaf distortion and sometimes leaf death and defoliation. Fruits of infected plants may be undersized, deformed, mottled or blotched and have a rough surface. Infected seedlings are usually stunted and pale. Tobamoviruses are easily transmitted through contact and can be transmitted by seed. Especially in greenhouse cultivation Tobamoviruses can be a problem due to the higher plant density compared to open field cultivation. Tobamoviruses are responsible for significant economic losses in pepper production areas. Genetic resistance to Tobamoviruses is thus highly desired.
Early ripening or earliness is the time needed by a cultivar to produce commercially mature fruits. Early ripening cultivars have been created through breeding in order to increase the profitability of pepper production by having earlier sales of the produce.
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